The largest EU budget in history will be partly financed through new taxes. Not only on large companies, but also through revenue from new EU-led excise duties on smokeless nicotine products. This became clear after the European Commission presented its multiannual budget plan for 2028 to 2034 to the European Parliament late Wednesday.
After years of rumours and leaked documents, it's official: the EU's long-term budget will be based on "new taxes" aimed at harmonising the taxation of e-cigarettes, e-liquid and other smokeless nicotine products across the Union.
"There is currently no harmonised tax for e-liquid. And the finance ministers of 16 member states have asked the Commission to prepare a proposal. This applies to all tobacco products, including new products such as e-liquid, nicotine pouches and heat-not-burn," said EU Commissioner Piotr Serafin during his presentation in Parliament.
Cigarettes and heat-not-burn (e.g. IQOS)
According to the proposal, the existing EU-regulated taxes on smoking tobacco will be increased to 215 euros per 1,000 cigarettes or 63 per cent of the retail price.
For heat-not-burn products a lower rate is suggested: 108 euro per 1,000 heatsticks, or 55 per cent of the retail price.
E-liquids - with or without nicotine
- For e-liquids with up to 15 mg nicotine/ml the tax becomes 0.12 euro per ml or 20 percent of the retail price.
- For e-liquids with 15-20 mg nicotine/ml A higher tax is suggested: 0.36 euros per ml or 40 percent of the retail price.
Nicotine pouches and snus
For nicotine pouches a new tax is proposed on 143 euros per kilo or 50 percent of the retail price.
The Swedish traditional tobacco snuff is not directly covered by the proposal.
"15 per cent direct to the EU
According to information provided to Politico member states must have until 2031 to implement the new taxes - provided that the proposal is adopted by both Council of Ministers and European Parliament.
"We estimate that 15 per cent of these tax revenues can be used by member states to finance the rising costs in the long-term budget," said Piotr Serafin.
New taxation of nicotine-free liquids
Sum Vmonkey check has previously revealedOne of the most sensational changes is hitting users in the Nordics in particular: the European Commission will now introduce tax on nicotine-free e-liquid - something only Finland have today. This means that Users of liquids with low or no nicotine content will be affected, while disposable models - which are most common among young people - are not directly affected.
Biggest effect in Sweden
The new tax on nicotine poucheswhich is already taxed in all Nordic EU countries, will particularly affect users in Sweden - or those who import bags from there. Here the proposed minimum tax is expected to Increase the price of a single can by around SEK 25 (equivalent to around DKK 17).
